Tag: Goodwood Festival of Speed

IN THE NEWS: Aston Martin to Unveil 540-hp DB9 GT at Goodwood

June 24, 2015 / moto+match / 0 Comments

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24 June, 2015, Gaydon: Aston Martin is today revealing the DB9 GT – the luxury British sports car maker’s most compelling production ‘DB’ to date. Designed to offer the best of what DB9 can be, the new car delivers world-class grand touring and hand-built excellence.

Claiming the title of the most potent DB9 yet devised, by virtue of its uprated 6.0-litre V12 engine which now boasts 547 PS – the DB9 GT makes its public debut as part of Aston Martin’s impressive presence at this week’s Goodwood Festival of Speed.

The new sports car appears as Aston Martin also unveils a raft of colour, trim and equipment enhancements across its sporty Vantage and luxurious Rapide S model lines.

Aston Martin CEO Dr Andy Palmer said: “The arrival of 16 Model Year (16MY) cars, as well as the addition of the sophisticated DB9 GT, gives us our most compelling sports car line-up to date as we continue to build our strongest ever global offering.”

DB9 GT – timeless style redefined

Since their debut in the early 1950s, the ‘DB’ models offered by Aston Martin have been synonymous with sophisticated grand touring and thrilling sports car performance.

In the tyre tracks of DB4, DB5, DB6 and DB7, today’s DB9 GT continues that distinguished tradition of luxury, excitement and style with a raft of engineering, equipment and styling developments calculated to make this the very best of what DB9 can be.

Fundamental to the new model’s unique appeal is its uprated 6.0-litre V12 petrol engine, which is capable of generating 547 PS at 6750 rpm, and 620 Nm of torque at 5500 rpm.

The all-alloy, quad overhead cam, 48-valve 5,935 cc front mid-mounted V12 is mated to the proven rear mid-mounted Touchtronic II six-speed transmission with electronic shift-by-wire control system. It carries the British luxury sports car maker’s core GT offering from rest to 62 mph in 4.5 seconds, and on to a top speed of 183 mph.

The independent double wishbone suspension all round continues to deliver secure handling while the three-stage Adaptive Damping System (ADS) offers distinct Normal, Sport and Track modes for the broadest possible breadth of dynamic characteristics.

However power is only part of the story, as the new Aston Martin also includes important and far-reaching equipment changes which underline its position as the best DB9 to date.

Most notable among the interior equipment updates is the arrival of the AMi II touch-sensitive Aston Martin infotainment system. While AMi debuted on the range-topping Vanquish at its launch, AMi II offers a revised menu structure which makes using the system even more user-friendly.

Building on the system launched in the Vanquish, the DB9 GT’s AMi II infotainment package sees key improvements made in a number of areas including text message integration, vehicle status information and extended background themes for greater personalisation.

Offering AM, FM, DAB and SDAR reception (US only), USB ports, Bluetooth audio streaming the system delivers superb connectivity and entertainment simply and easily.

Ian Minards, Product Development Director at Aston Martin, explained: “Refining the DB9’s already impressive attributes into what we have today in the DB9 GT has been a careful and delicate process.

“Maintaining the effortlessly refined nature of our core GT sports car, while boosting power and introducing state-of-the-art infotainment systems, has required fine judgements and painstaking engineering.

“I’m confident the result, in the shape of the DB9 GT, represents the very best of what DB9 can be, and sets the standard for luxury grand tourers in this class.”

Bespoke luxury as standard

Instantly recognised the world over as a timelessly stylish Aston Martin, the core visual characteristics of the DB9 are of course retained in the DB9 GT. Refined styling enhancements inside and out, however, signal that this new car once again leads its class.

Aside from the subtle GT badges, this new DB9 is identified by black painted splitter and diffuser, revised headlight and tail light treatments and new ten-spoke 20-inch alloy wheels. Black anodised brake calipers and a GT engraving on the aluminium fuel filler cap further distinguish the new model.

Options, for those who wish to further personalise their car, include carbon fibre tail lamp inserts, side strakes, front splitter and rear diffuser; graphite, diamond-turned ten-spoke alloy wheels and alternative brake caliper colours.

Inside, the 2+2 seating configuration remains, however the seats now boast ‘GT’ embroidery on the unique fluted leather. An iridium trim pack and Alcantara-wrapped steering wheel (Coupe only) further distinguish the new car.

A broad array of options inside the DB9 GT include various centre console finishes such as Ice Mocha and Copper Cuprum, while other interior options include Duotone leather seats, door inserts and head linings; and a One-77-inspired steering wheel design.

Aston Martin Chief Creative Officer, Marek Reichman, said: “The purity of form and proportion, together with a lithe powerful, stance, remain at the core of what the DB9 is to look at. With these changes, we have made the DB9 GT yet more stylish, while retaining its unmistakable and globally renowned identity.”

The DB9 GT is now available to order in markets around the world, priced from £140,000 RRP (UK), €187,000 RRP (Germany), $199,950 RRP (USA).

Vantage and Rapide S revised

Not content simply with launching the DB9 GT, Aston Martin is also taking the arrival of 16MY cars to update, upgrade and enhance more of its core sports cars.

The sporting Vantage line-up and luxurious Rapide S four-door four-seat sports cars all benefit from a raft of colour, trim and equipment enhancements for 16MY, with the Vantage Coupe and Roadster models gaining a new touch-sensitive centre console fascia.

The AMi II infotainment system also makes its debut in Vantage and Rapide S, with the debut of corresponding new features such as visual vehicle status power and torque meters, offering real-time read-outs of engine bhp and torque.

New interior trim packs deliver the option of even greater personalisation for customers, with the addition of Vivid Red, Royal Mint, Black Damson and Bronze Metallic to 16MY leather palettes across the Vantage car lines.

Meanwhile, the striking Californian Poppy interior accent is now available for Vantage N430 and US-only Vantage GT buyers. Royal Mint, Spicy Red, Copper and Deep Purple stitching colours are new, too, along with revised alloy wheel designs.

New exterior colours Cinnabar Orange and Ultramarine Black debut on Vantage, too.

Aston Martin CEO, Dr Andy Palmer, said: “Our process of constant improvement, development and refinement of our core sports cars never stops and the arrival of the remarkable DB9 GT, along with these important 16 Model Year updates and enhancements for the Vantage and Rapide S, all clearly demonstrate that.

“Expanding the global appeal of Aston Martin is, in part, about offering our customers the widest possible choice and with the changes we’re announcing today – alongside the ongoing development of our luxury bespoke personalisation service, Q by Aston Martin – I know we are better placed than ever to respond to our buyers’ needs.”

The global market introduction of 16MY sports cars begins in quarter three of 2015, with more details on market-specific pricing and options available in due course.

ON THE LAWN: Maserati Wins Best in Show at Goodwood Concours

June 30, 2014 / moto+match / 0 Comments

A sensational Maserati A6 CGS Berlinetta was named ‘best in show’ at the Goodwood Festival of Speed’s Cartier ‘style-et-luxe’ concours d’elegance.

The event, which was held on the Cartier lawn, celebrated its 20^th running at the Festival of Speed and celebrated the best in exquisite automotive design throughout the history of the motor industry.

The Maserati, which is owned by Egon Zweimuller Jr, took victory in the coachbuilt Maserati-only Class 3: ‘The height of fashion’, and later beat off competition from the other class winners to claim the overall spoils.

The judging panel was chaired by Mail on Sunday editor Geordie Greig and also featured Olympic gold medallists Sir Chris Hoy and Sally Gunnell, actor Rowan Atkinson, Apple design chief Sir Jonathan Ive and renowned handbag designer Anya Hindmarch plus other notable names from the worlds of sport, the arts and design.

Class 1: ‘Vintage Voiturettes’ was won by Keith Bowley’s 1925 Amilcar CGS while victory in Class 2: ‘Blown Away’, which was held just for Mercedes 500Ks, went to Winfried Ritter’s Cab A model.

A 1960 Lincoln Continental, owned by the La Salle Collection, triumphed in Class 4: ‘Affairs of Status’, while Class 5: ‘Mid-engined masterpieces’ went to Stephen Keen’s 1968 Lamborghini Miura P400S.

Bill Shepherd’s 1966 Ford Mustang Mustero won Class 6: ‘Horses for Courses’ which celebrated American cars powered by small-block V8 engines, while victory in Class 7: ‘Best foot forward’, marking front-engined British sportscars of the 1990s, was won by Graham Abbott’s 1997 TVR Cerbera Speed 12.

FORBIDDEN FRUIT: Limited Production Peugeot 208 GTi 30th Unveiled at Goodwood

June 26, 2014 / moto+match / 0 Comments

Très tragoc. The 208 GTi 30^th delivers a more intense driving sensation enhanced with a new Euro6 1.6-litre THP petrol engine developing 300Nm of torque and maximum power increased to a symbolic 208hp. Mated to a six-speed manual gearbox, it has exceptional traction and efficiency assured through the specification of a Torsen differential, specific suspension and steering settings.The exterior can also be distinguished with an optional paint finish – a coupe franche – where the rear is separated distinctively by a sharp dividing line from which the colours are cleanly divided.

Its sporty and assertive temperament can also been seen in its stance and look, in particularly by its dual-material livery, separated by a sharp dividing line. It will be presented to the public at the forthcoming 2014 Paris Motor Show, with sales starting in November 2014.

The 208 GTi 30^th anniversary Limited Edition made its world debut on display with dynamic demonstrations at the Goodwood Festival of Speed – dynamically in the Supercar & ‘First Glimpse’ class on the Hillclimb at speed and on static display in the Moving Motor Show showroom – on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. It goes on public display at the next Paris Motor Show in October and will be going on sale in November 2014.

“As with any project of this type, there was a convergence of ideas and needs. Following on from the RCZ R, PEUGEOT Sport proposed that the Brand make a more radical version of the 208 GTi. At the same time the Brand thought about how best to celebrate 30 years of the PEUGEOT GTi in 2014.”
Maxime Picat – PEUGEOT Brand CEO.

A year after its commercial launch over 10,000 Peugeot 208 GTi Hatchback cars have been produced, confirming the success of the reinterpretation of the GTi icon and the strategy to offer a well-specified, performance sports model from PEUGEOT in the B Segment.

PEUGEOT has left its mark on the history of motor sport and DNA can be found in the genes of the 208 GTi, as in those of the RCZ, and its R version greatly enhanced by PEUGEOT Sport. As Peugeot celebrates 30 years since the original 205 GTi, it is now the turn for the 208 GTi to benefit from the expertise and racing pedigree of the engineers at Peugeot Sport. They have worked to give it a more radical character with what some call ‘extra soul’, in response to expectations by driving enthusiasts to have an authentic product with real capability.

A coherent exclusive signature with a more radical temperament

“The 208 GTi 30^th builds on the virtues of a strong identity, great attention to detail and in the style of the 208 GTi, and takes on a more radical and brutish fashion, making the link with the incisive character of its dynamic performance,” Julien Kerlidou – Product Manager 208.

From the outset, the exclusive and more radical temperament shines through with the 208 GTi 30^th. The suspension is lowered by 10mm, the track widened by 22mm at the front and 16mm at the rear, and larger wheels are specified giving it a pronounced sports car posture on the road.

The chic bright chrome finishers on the 208 GTi are replaced by matt black on the 208 GTi 30th, giving it a more brutish look. At the front the same treatment is applied to the grille surround, the fog lamp bezels and door mirror shells. From the side, the lowered stance is accentuated by matt black side skirts and wheel arch extensions that cover new 18″ wheels finished with matt black rims. The front wheels house large red PEUGEOT Sport labelled brake calipers. The window trim strip, which finishes with a signature paying homage to the illustrious 205 GTi, is also finished in matt black, while the quarter panel bears a ‘208 GTi 30^th logo’. At the rear, the round twin chrome tail pipes ensure the sound of the new engine is fully expressed to enhance the aural driving experience.

Finally, the 208 GTi 30^th could only be finished in colours that identify this sporting world. The interpretation uniting the red and black in a two-tone and dual material treatment is innovative and unique. The front is finished in a textured black, contrasting with the new high-gloss red at the rear. The two colours are divided by a sharp oblique straight-cut line (a ‘coupe franche’), as first seen on the Onyx Supercar Concept and reinterpreted on the 308 R and Exalt Concept cars. The 208 GTi 30^th will also be available in Pearl White and Ruby Red – historical colours of PEUGEOT GTi cars.

Perfectly consistent with its exterior signature and dynamic character, the interior ambience has a more radical sports character developed for the 208 GTi 30^th. The red fading to black finishers on the 208 GTi change to lacquered black. The black door handles with a red line echo the seat belts. High-quality floor mats are trimmed in red, while the front bucket seats are of a form specially developed by PEUGEOT Sport. These seats are trimmed in an exclusive blend of materials, mainly Alcantara, accompanied by black TEP with red stitching and a black dotted mesh pattern with red highlights.

A numbered plate marked ‘208 GTi 30^th’ positioned above the courtesy lamp finishes off this limited edition anniversary model.

Unrestrained driving sensations for incisive behaviour on the road

“Based on the 208 GTi, itself already a very effective and well powered car, our ambition was to focus on behaviour on the road, by further increasing its effectiveness. For this we have developed the traction and a potential for more grip, mainly on the front axle. The benefits are essentially in passing speeds, driving sensations and feedback,” Pierre Budar –208 GTi 30^th Project Manager.

The sensations begin when taking the wheel of the 208 GTi 30^th. For the driver, familiarisation is simple and obvious as is directing the car. The compact steering wheel makes it easy to place the vehicle and enhances driving sensations. The instruments, positioned above the compact steering wheel, are directly in view. This facilitates the reading of information, which becomes instantaneous, without the driver having to take their eyes off the road.

Consistent with its specific dynamic character and pronounced driving sensations, this driving position is ideally complemented by a specific ‘bucket’ seat developed by PEUGEOT Sport. Together with the small wheel, the head-up instruments and feedback from the compact steering and suspension, it allows the driver to be at one with their car.

The new 1.6-litre THP engine, meeting the Euro 6 emissions standard, is fitted with Stop & Start. Its maximum torque is increased to 300Nm and maximum power to 208hp, an immediate reference to the model name. The power and torque are transmitted to the wheels via a six-speed manual gearbox with specific gear ratios, and a Torsen differential – both taken from the RCZ R, allowing the full potential of the vehicle to be exploited.

The ESP and traction control are recalibrated, so as to be less intrusive when driving and to set free the vehicle’s traction and allow the Torsen to operate. The advantage provided by the Torsen and the reduced anti-roll at the front are felt in particular when accelerating in a corner by maintaining tight trajectories, and when braking, with improving stability.

The lowered centre of gravity and redefined suspension geometry (wider track, camber angle, wheel alignment, 0.5’’ wider wheels) and the Michelin Pilot Super Sport 205/40 ZR 18 tyres optimise grip and ensure remarkable road holding.

The steering calibration has also been the subject of much development work, both on a track circuit and on the road. The objective was to obtain a linear level of assistance appropriate for the character of the car, taking account of the effect produced by the Torsen differential.

Associated with new damper settings and spring rates, as well as revised anti-roll, the steering is informative. All together it offers both precision and agility. The 208 GTi 30^th can count on a braking system to match the performance achieved, with 323mm diameter and 28mm thick discs at the front and Brembo fixed four-piston calipers.

The sporty temperament of the 208 GTi 30^th can also be seen in the figures: 0 to 62mph in 6.5 seconds and standing kilometre in 26.5 seconds. Mid-range acceleration is also of a high level with with 5^th gear acceleration from 50 to 70mph possible in 6.0 seconds. Its performance and sharper handling are achieved with efficiency that is unprecedented in the segment, with CO₂ emissions of just 125g/km.

The 208 GTi 30^th again demonstrates that emotion, sportiness and efficiency are engrained in PEUGEOT’s heritage and genes

ON DISPLAY: Production McLaren MSO Bespoke 650S To Debut at Goodwood

June 25, 2014 / moto+match / 0 Comments

Jun 25, 2014 — McLaren Special Operations (MSO) has confirmed production plans for a run of bespoke examples of the McLaren 650S following the strong reaction to the MSO 650S Coupe Concept shown in China earlier this year. Just 50 examples of the MSO 650S will be available globally, available in either a Coupe or Spider bodystyle. The production car will make its global debut, in Spider form, at this summer’s Goodwood Festival of Speed in the Supercar Paddock, and will be seen in action taking part in the famous Hill run.

The bespoke McLaren Special Operations division was launched in 2011, and offers a full personalisation service for McLaren owners. The dedicated division grew out of McLaren’s Customer Care programme, which goes back 20 years to the days of the McLaren F1 roadcar, and continues to look after servicing and maintaining cherished F1s for owners, as well as undertaking personalisation work for all McLaren models.

The MSO 650S carries many of the styling cues over from the original concept, and the team at MSO has worked closely with McLaren Automotive Design Director, Frank Stephenson to further enhance the visual appeal. The exterior of the MSO 650S is fitted with a number of carbon fibre styling upgrades with a satin finish, including extended MSO Side Blades giving a subtle and purposeful look. The three-piece rear bumper includes a carbon fibre centre section, and sits above a more aggressive rear diffuser.

The MSO 650S is available in three paint finishes, specially formulated by the bespoke division of McLaren Automotive, all featuring a heavy metallic content. ‘Papaya Spark’ is the modern twist on the famous McLaren Orange and is joined by ‘Agrigan Black’ and ‘Sarigan Quartz’. ‘Agrigan Black’ is a stylish metallic black with a deep ruby red metallic flake, and featured on the original concept, while ‘Sarigan Quartz’ is a new colour for MSO, being shown for the first time at Goodwood Festival of Speed. It is a vibrant metallic silver with a subtle golden infusion.

The exterior design is finished with a set of Palladium coloured 10-spoke Super Lightweight alloy wheels, with a unique diamond cut effect to the inside edge of each spoke. These wheels save 4 kg over the standard-fit design, and are held in place by lightweight titanium wheel bolts.

Inside the cabin, the MSO 650S is upholstered with carbon black leather and Alcantara®, while the stylish satin lacquered carbon fibre detailing extends throughout the driver and passenger zones. In contrast, a gloss finish has been applied to the air vents and handling and powertrain switchgear on the Active Dynamics Panel. A signature dedication plaque mounted to the MSO-branded carbon fibre sill panel completes the enhancements.

Each one of the 50 MSO 650S models will be delivered with a Frank Stephenson-signed sketch and a luxury MSO branded, leather holdall. Handcrafted from stealth black carbon fibre leather, the weekend bag is fitted with complementing carbon black handles and stitching, and an Alcantara® lining.

Pricing starts at £252,500 for the MSO 650S Coupé and £272,500 for the MSO 650S Spider, with first deliveries due before the end of the year.

ON DISPLAY: Alfa Romeo Showcases History and Future at Goodwood

June 24, 2014 / moto+match / 0 Comments

June 26-29 will see the West Sussex countryside play host to one of the most prestigious events on the international motoring calendar: The Goodwood Festival of Speed. Each year more than 150,000 fans, connoisseurs, collectors and VIPs from around the world descend on Lord March’s idyllic Goodwood Estate to rub shoulders with the motorsport elite and to witness the world’s most iconic and exciting cars – past and present – in action on the iconic 1.16-mile hill-climb course.

For the 2014 Goodwood Festival of Speed, there will be eight Alfa Romeo cars present: Five from the Museo Storico Alfa Romeo, representing the brand’s rich racing and engineering heritage, as well as the three highest-performance models from the current range. The event is also a celebration of the 60th Annivesary of the Alfa Romeo Giulietta: Unveiled at the 1954 Turin Motor Show, the Giulietta Sprint is one of the most iconic products of the Alfa Romeo brand as it made the dream of owning an Alfa Romeo accessible to motorists all over the world for the first time.

Alfa Romeo is delighted to welcome a star guest to its line-up: Toine Hezemans, “The Flying Dutchman”, who notched up numerous victories in various iterations of the legendary Alfa Romeo GTA – including the driver’s title in the 1970 European Touring Car Championship – will once again be behind the wheel of a 1971 Alfa Romeo GTA 1300 Junior on the Goodwood hillclimb. Setting the times behind the wheel of the Alfa Romeo 4C in the Supercar run will be Rupert Keegan, an ex-Formula One racer of the late 70s and early 80s.

Away from the track, the Alfa Romeo stand will not only will afford the British public its first chance to see the new Alfa Romeo MiTo and Giulietta Quadrifoglio Verde in the metal, it will also have the Alfa Romeo 4C supercar on display alongside an original 1954 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint. The stand will also host the unveiling of a new coffee machine which was engineered into a genuine Alfa Romeo 1750 TBi engine block with help from the experts at luxury Italian coffee producers, Lavazza. Head of Brand for Alfa Romeo EMEA, Louis Carl Vignon, will be on hand to unveil the spectacular coffee machine at 11:45 on Saturday, June 28.

The Alfa Romeo vehicles at Goodwood:

Gran Premio Tipo B P3 (1932)

The Alfa Romeo Tipo B, better known as the P3, is one of Vittorio Jano’s masterpieces. Standout technical features of the legendary single-seater racer include its dual-supercharged 8C straight-eight engine and an innovative rear suspension which helped it out-handle its competition. All the most famous drivers of the 30s have sat behind the wheel of Tipo B cars: Nuvolari, Varzi, Caracciola, Trossi, Chiron and Moll all tasted victory in major international competitions in 1932 and 1933. Tazio Nuvolari’s victory over the strong field of German competitors at Nürburgring in 1935 is a particular highlight of the P3’s illustrious history.

Engine: 8 cylinders in line, 2,654cc, twin-camshaft, dual supercharger
Power: 212hp at 5600 rpm
Top speed: 232mph

Gran Premio Tipo 159 Alfetta (1951)

Juan Manuel Fangio won the first of his five F1 World Championship titles in 1951 behind the wheel of the single-seater Alfa Romeo 159 Alfetta. An evolution of the 158, which claimed the first World Champion in 1950 in the hands of Giuseppe “Nino” Farina, the 159 adopts a more sophisticated De Dion rear axle, improved aerodynamics and an upgraded, straight-eight 1.5-litre engine with dual-stage supercharger which could produce a peak output of up to 450hp.

Engine: 8 cylinders in line, 1,479 cc, twin-shaft dual-stage supercharger
Power: 425hp (up to 450hp) at 9,300 rpm
Top speed: 189 mph
Bodywork: Assembled by Zagato

750 Competizione (1955)

The Alfa Romeo 750 Competizione is a two-seater racing car that was designed to compete in the 1.5-litre sports car class. Its 1,488cc engine is derived from the contemporary “Giulietta” and produces an astonishing 145hp which, together with its particularly low weight, would have made the vehicle highly competitive had it ever competed. Sadly, the project never reached its full potential and what is coming to Goodwood is only one of two ever built and the only car in full working order.

Engine: 4 cylinders in line, 1,488 cc, twin-camshaft
Power: 145hp at 9,500 rpm
Top speed: 137mph
Bodywork: Boano

Giulietta SZ Coda Tronca (1960)

The Alfa Romeo Giulietta SZ (Sprint Zagato) is one of the most performance-oriented versions of the original Giulietta, as well as the rarest – only 30 were ever built in Coda Tronca (stub-tail) guise. It is capable of reaching 200km/h (124mph) – an astonishing speed when you consider it was powered by a little 1.3 litre engine. However, this was Alfa Romeo’s legendary twin-cam 1.3-litre which produced 100hp and which, when combined with the aluminium, aerodynamic Zagato body and ultra-low 740kg weight, resulted in impressive performance and handling, making it a favourite car for gentlemen drivers in the 1960s.

Engine: 4 cylinders in line, 1,290 cc, twin camshaft
Power: 100hp at 6,500 rpm
Top speed: 124mph
Bodywork: Zagato

GTA 1300 Junior (1971)

The Alfa Romeo GTA 1300 Junior incorporates some of the most advanced engineering of the late 1960s. Evolved from the original 1.6-ltire GTA of 1965 and using technologies such as direct injection and dual ignition, Autodelta (Alfa Romeo’s racing division) was able to squeeze 170hp from its 1.3-litre, normally aspirated, twin-camshaft engine. The GTA went on to claim the European Touring Car Championship for Alfa Romeo in 1971 and 1972, while the 1300 Junior which retained the aluminium body, with the later addition of flared wheel arches, was also successfully raced particularly in the hands of Toine Hezemans, “The Flying Dutchman”, who will be reunited with it at the 2014 Goodwood Festival of Speed.

Engine: 4 cylinders in line, 1,290 cc, twin camshaft, dual ignition, direct injection
Power: 170hp at 8,200 rpm
Top speed: 137mph
Bodywork: Bertone

Alfa Romeo 4C

The award-winning Alfa Romeo 4C returns to the Goodwood Festival of Speed after making its UK debut and first dynamic appearance at the event in 2013. Embodying the best of Alfa Romeo’s DNA, the 4C is powered by a turbo-charged 1,750, all-aluminium engine which sends 240hp to the rear wheels via an advanced twin dry-clutch Alfa TCT transmission. Constructed predominantly from carbon fibre, aluminium and composites, the Alfa Romeo 4C can accelerate to 62 mph in just 4.5 seconds, reach a top speed in excess of 160mph, generate 1.2g of braking force, 1.1g of cornering force and tips the scales at just 895hp (dry weight). In addition to collecting numerous awards and appearing in countless magazine and website articles across Europe since its launch in 2013, the Alfa Romeo 4C also features regularly on television thanks to its role as Official Safety Car of the 2014 SBK Superbike World Championship and 2014 World Touring Car Championship (WTCC).

Alfa Romeo MiTo Quadrifoglio Verde

The new high-performance Alfa Romeo MiTo Quadrifoglio Verde makes its UK debut at the 2014 Goodwood Festival of Speed. The first Alfa Romeo to bear the Quadrifoglio Verde was the ‘RL’ driven by Ugo Sivocci that won the Targa Florio in 1923. Since then all racing Alfa Romeo’s have carried the emblem for good luck and in the 1960’s they also began appearing on high-performance versions of road-going Alfa Romeo cars. The new ‘Quadrifoglio Verde’ versions of the MiTo follows in the tyre-treads of the best of these Alfa Romeo models, drawing on their heritage of performance and driving pleasure without compromising on efficiency, respect for the environment and everyday practicality. Powered by a 170hp 1.4-litre MultiAir Turbo Petrol 170hp engine, in combination with the ALFA TCT transmission (with steering-wheel paddle shifters) for the first time, the MiTo QV now accelerates to 62mph in just 7.3 seconds and tops 136mph but with improved economy and reduced emissions – 10% and 11% respectively.

Alfa Romeo Giulietta Quadrifoglio Verde

The Alfa Romeo Giulietta celebrates its 60th anniversary in 2014 with the new Quadrifoglio Verde high-performance version, which also makes its UK debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. Powered by the same 240hp, aluminium-block , direct-injection, 1750 Turbo Petrol engine – and state-of-the-art, six-speed, twin dry clutch ALFA TCT transmission – as the as the Alfa Romeo 4C supercar, the new Giulietta Quadrifoglio Verde also employs a similar Launch Control system as the 4C, which optimises engine, transmission and traction systems to accelerate the Alfa Romeo Giulietta Quadrifoglio Verde from 0 to 62mph in just 6.0 seconds – 0.8 seconds faster than the model it replaces! A new “QV Intake Engine Sound” system accentuates the full, exciting engine sound one expects from a high-performance Alfa Romeo while interior enhancements include a new flat-bottomed steering wheel; instrument panel with Quadrifoglio Verde logo and new wraparound sports seats with one-piece backrests.

ON THE HILL: Jaguar F-Type R Coupé and XFR-S Shooting Brake to Debut at Goodwood

June 20, 2014 / moto+match / 0 Comments

(Whitley, Coventry – 20 June 2014). Long-term supporter of the annual Goodwood Festival of Speed, Jaguar, will be making some noise at next week’s event from 26-29 June with an exceptional line-up of its cars, both old and new.

Visitors to the Jaguar stand at the spectacular automotive show will be delighted to see the first new product from Jaguar Land Rover Special Operations – the new division of Jaguar Land Rover responsible for a range of special product and service programmes for Jaguar and Land Rover customers.

Chiming perfectly with Goodwood’s 2014 Festival theme of ‘Addicting to Winning’, Jaguar will have an extensive selection of its past, present and near-future models at the event, including victorious examples of the racing D-type, XJS TWR and XJR-9 tackling the famous 1.16-mile hillclimb.

Two of the Jaguar Heritage Trust’s significant D-types will be in action as this legendary Jaguar marks its 60^thanniversary. The original 1954 D-type prototype will be demonstrated, as will the later 1956 ‘Long Nose’ model, to be driven by ex-Grand Prix racer Bruno Senna. Bruno recently covered over 1,000 miles in this car at the 2014 Mille Miglia, with co-driver and fellow Formula 1 star, Martin Brundle.

Other Jaguar Heritage competition racers in action at Goodwood will include the iconic ‘Group 44’ E-type, the Group-A XJS TWR and the 1988 Le Mans-winning XJR-9 LM, the latter being reunited with one of its victorious team drivers; Andy Wallace.

Away from the competition cars, examples of Jaguar’s new production F-TYPE R Coupé and XFR-S Sportbrake will be publically seen in action at the Festival, with both set for high speed drives up the famous Goodwood Hill.